Serving the community since 1922
Serving the community since 1922
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The new restaurant in town, Tacos La Villa, has enjoyed a great start, with lines in the drive-thru and a brisk business in the store, making their first couple of months a success. Owner Danny Nunez has brought unique fare to the city. "We are truly blessed for the opportunity to bring our authentic brand of Mexican food to Shafter," Nunez said this week. Begun in 1993, Tacos La Villa has grown to include nine locations in Bakersfield, and growing. Reviewers have noted that...
The Shafter Mennonite Brethren Church held their annual Summer Wrestling Camp this week, teaching campers how to build a solid foundation, on the mat and off. Pastor Pat Coyle, a former competitive wrestler, led the kids in a variety of drills, exercises and practice sessions, giving them the knowledge of basic techniques wrapped in encouraging words. The theme for this year's camp was "Solid as Stone," referring to God's counsel in Isaiah 28:16, [BEGIN ITAL]"See, I lay a...
Even though school is out for the summer, that does not mean that learning is put on the back burner. The Shafter Learning Center is in full swing, offering a variety of classes that will keep kids learning as well as having fun throughout the summer. The classes run for one week, with a total of seven sessions running through July 29. The Learning Center has classes for all age groups, ranging from Pre-K students through those in the eighth grade. Pre-K students have the...
There has been a trend in the last 10 or 15 years of Little Libraries dotting the landscape, making books available for those who may not be able to get to the library, or don't have the means to buy books of their own. Little Libraries are abundant in Shafter, with numerous street corners housing a collection of books, inviting anyone who wants something to read to take a book and either replace it with another book, or return the book when you are finished. The libraries in...
The members of the Shafter fire station lost a compatriot from Fire Station 23 in Fellows when it was announced that Fire Captain Brian Falk passed away suddenly on Thursday July 14. Department team members were in a procession that escorted Falk from Fellows into Bakersfield to Kern Medical Center. The procession included a helicopter, as well as engines from all over Kern County. Falk leaves behind a wife and two young sons. The processional is a tradition with fallen firefi...
The city and its trash collection vendor, American Refuse, held two workshops over the weekend geared to inform residents and answer questions about the upcoming change in trash collection schedules and procedures. With the enforcement of new state requirements to reduce organic waste, the city has contracted with American Refuse to take over residential solid waste collection. "Essentially, the city of Shafter is out of the trash collection business," said Public Works Michae...
The Shafter Children's Summer Theater will be bringing their production of "Seussical" to the Shafter Ford Theater July 29-31, with performances beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 4 p.m. on Sunday. This year's production, a smash hit on Broadway,is based on the works of Theodore Geissl, Dr. Seuss. The story brings back popular Seuss characters, including The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, and JoJo, a little Who child. Other characters include Gertrude...
A team of Shafter girls traveled to San Diego over the weekend to compete in the California State Games, coming back with a State Championship in the Girls 11 and under Basketball Division. The team, Salvation Training Ground, was coached by Fabian Jimenez and Mike Watts, have played together for the past three years, with a couple of the team members coached by Jimenez since they were 4 and 5 years old. The season begins in late March, with the season culminating in the...
A new park at Gossamer Grove pays homage to Shafter's farming roots. Farm Park was opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony last month, with residents getting to check out the new facilities, including a ball court, a dog park and a landscape that resembles a farm. It is replete with rows of plants resembling rows of crops, with farm equipment displayed on the site, giving kids an up-close look at a farming landscape. The 3.25-acre park was designed by WSLA, in collaboration...
Hall Ambulance has an open recruitment period going for their next EMT academy, which begins on Sept. 20. The Academy prepares individuals in under 10 weeks to start working in the Hall Ambulance 9-1-1 system as an emergency medical technician. An EMT works on the front line of emergency medical services as a first responder, attending to patients and providing safe transport to the hospital. The academy has training from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Harvey...
Two workshops are set to discuss the new three-cart trash collection system that is being implemented later this month in the city of Shafter. The do’s and don’ts of the system will be reviewed, with representatives from American Refuse on hand to answer any questions. The first will be Thursday, July 15, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.at Mannel Park and another workshop on Saturday, July 16, at Veterans Park, from 9 to 10 a.m. The change also includes the elimination of alley service in the city at the end of the month, with all tra...
The Wasco Rose Festival is back and set for Sept. 10. The theme for this year is the Wizard of Oz's "No Place Like Home," symbolizing the festival's return to the weekend after Labor Day. "This will be a great event, as we get over covid. People are ready to spread their wings again and get back to normalcy," said Rose Festival committee member Juan Gallardo. "It is a good way to enjoy the day and will be an amazing time. It truly is a tradition the community loves and a...
The Shafter Chamber of Commerce held their annual Fireworks Show on Sunday night, filling the night sky with a display of color and explosion. The event was held at the Shafter Recreation fields next to the Shafter High Football Stadium, which is still being completed. The event drew a large crowd of over 2,000 people, with many others scattered throughout the nearby neighborhoods, holding cookouts, watching parties, and sitting in their yards, ready to watch the spectacle. On...
The Shafter Police Department is to keep the community of Shafter safe, be it on the roads or in their neighborhoods, working in eliminating dangerous situations, be they big or small. According to Assistant Chief of Police Diana Barnett, the SPD issued four citations for illegal fireworks this year, and they responded to a total of 97 reports and complaints of illegal fireworks use. This is compared to 150 calls last year and one citation given out. "This year was a lot...
The children of Shafter went on a Monumental Adventure last week as they ventured into the deserts and landscapes of creation, helping them form a rock-solid faith. The Shafter Mennonite Brethren Church held their annual Vacation Bible School last week, with new adventures for the kids that helped them see God's awesome creations. A crowd filled the sanctuary as children from kindergarten to sixth grade were led on expeditions that included arts and crafts, games and Bible...
A 1941 Harley Davidson motorcycle that was regular sight around the Minter Field Airport in the 1940s has come home, thanks to the owner's daughter, who donated the cycle to the Minter Field Air Museum. A ceremony was held on Monday, July 4, which is Vincent Anslinger's birthday. Anslinger was stationed at Minter Field beginning in December 1941, as part of the Army Reserves. Anslinger's daughter Arlene contacted the Minter Field Air Museum recently wanting to donate her...
The Shafter Library has developed a great friend in Bakersfield College, with the school partnering with the city to operate the library, creating one of the only municipal libraries in the county. The change to the library has been drastic, with a renovation to the building, an expansion that has added labs, a classroom and more, thanks to generous sponsors and a community of volunteers. In addition to operating and staffing the library, the college has given the library and...
The City Council Tuesday night approved a two-year deadline extension for CJ Development’s plan for two land tracts near the area of Fresno Avenue, Beech Avenue and East Tulare Avenue. A preliminary plan offered by owner Dennis Handel calls for a 430-home development on the land, creating the largest residential subdivision in the city aside from Gossame Grove. Members Chad Givens and Pete Espinoza recused themselves from the discussion, since they own property within 1,000 f...
The Shafter City Council, after several workshop, unanimously approved a budget with a modest surplus in 2022-23 The budget approved Tuesday night projects operations revenue of about $44.9 million, with expenses at about $44.4 million. This is a dramatic increase in the revenue from 2021-22, which saw the city still recovering from the pandemic. Sales tax is responsible for 43% of the city's revenue, giving the city a leg up on other comparable cities, led by the strong...
Shafter shoppers may be getting a new option – with budget prices. Listen to Shafter and the Mennonite Central Committee Thrift Shop Network plan to open a new thrift store in town, according to Nancy Neufeld and Katie Wiebe, organizers of the business. They revealed the project at last week's Community Task Force meeting. Customers of the thrift shop would get quality products at discount prices. Wiebe said that the store would focus on clothing and household products, s...
Steven Flores Garza, who killed two people and injured a third when his vehicle collided with a Honda sedan in 2018, was convicted of six charges, including two charges of second-degree murder in the case, the highest possible penalty involving a DUI case. Garza faces 35 years to life in prison. Garza, who at the time of the 2018 accident was driving on a suspended license, had five prior DUI convictions before the fatal crash. In this case, Garza was being chased by local...
[CLICK ON THE E-EDITION TO SEE PICTURES OF SHAFTER HIGH GRADUATES] Shafter High School's Class of 2022 walked across the stage at the newly renovated Shafter High Stadium on Wednesday night, saying goodbye to the rigors of being a high school senior and stepping into their new roles, be it a college student, a soldier or a part of the workforce. Principal Russell Shipley welcomed the graduates and their friends and families to the ceremony, giving credit to the dedicated...
The Richland Junior High Trojans spent their last day as 8th graders walking across the stage to celebrate the completion of their junior high careers, promoted to high school freshmen in the fall. Principal Monica Garza welcomed the graduates and their families to the festivities and told the students that even though they hadn't had a picture-perfect junior high experience, "it is one that you will never forget and that will shape you into who you are and are going to be."...
The North Kern School held their annual graduation ceremony recently, with the graduates receiving diplomas, certificates and other awards for their educational achievements. There were eighth graders who were being promoted to their high schools and also a few students who graduated and completed their high school educations. The school is a faith-based institution that provides one-on-one instruction, as well as giving the students a more than the three Rs. North Kern was...
Buttonwillow Raceway was the site of the Cal Club's Regionals this past weekend, with over 300 racers on the track competing for in the Regional Championships. There were six different classes in events, with drivers vying for places in the rankings in the season series that will culminate in the National Championships held in Virginia this year. The Nationals rotate sites, with the event last year held in Las Vegas. Cal Club is the organization that had the Buttonwillow...
